William Aird Thomson


The Very Rev Dr William Aird Thomson DD was a Scottish minister and antiquarian who served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1835.

Life

He was born in the manse at Sanquhar the son of Rev Dr Thomson. The family moved to Markinch while he was still young.
He studied divinity at the University of Glasgow.
He was ordained by the Church of Scotland as minister of Dalziel in 1801, then moved in 1808 to the far larger Middle Church in Perth in 1807. The church, which stands in an imposing location on the River Tay was later renamed St Michael's. At the same time his brother Rev Andrew Thomson was translated from Sprouston to the East Church in Perth. However, Andrew translated to New Greyfriars in Edinburgh in 1810.
In 1833 the University of Glasgow. awarded him an honorary doctorate. In 1835 he succeeded Very Rev Patrick McFarlan as Moderator of the General Assembly.
In the Disruption of 1843 he left the established Church of Scotland and joined the Free Church of Scotland, establishing a new Free church in Perth. He went into semi-retirement in 1845 when Rev Thomas Dymock came to assist him.
He died at home, 6 Athole Crescent in Perth on 17 March 1863.

Family

He was married to Margaret Fraser, daughter of Luke Fraser. In 1841 their daughter Mary Anne Thomson married Walter Glass of Smiddiegreen who committed suicide by shooting himself in the head two months after the wedding.
Her sister Helen Mary Thomson married Prof Patrick Campbell Macdougall of the University of Edinburgh.
The daughter Margaret Thomson married Rev John Reid Omond.
Other children included Gilbert James Thomson and Rev John William Thomson of the Free Church.

Publications